Press release
15 Dec 2016
Doha-Beirut
Ministers of ESCWA Member Countries Discuss National Challenges to 2030 Agenda Implementation
The speakers tackled the challenges preventing their respective countries from implementing the agenda, stressing in particular on the statistical, institutional, and financial challenges. They also pointed out the lack of statistical culture in several countries of the region. They pondered on the indicators set by the United Nations to monitor the sustainable development goals, particularly on their large number and type, as they require placing new methodologies, building human capacities, and providing the resources needed in order to prepare them in the required precision. Participants urged the UN to reduce the number of these indicators so as to avoid scattering efforts. They also stressed the need for the support provided by ESCWA in that regard.
Speakers noted that the institutional structure is a key element for the success or failure of the implementation of the sustainable development goals. To ensure the proper sustainability of the institutional structure, the agenda must be nationalised and included in the work plan of all government administrations, and not be limited to particular ministries or mechanisms. Therefore, development priorities must be defined so as to avoid draining national institutions. As for the challenge of funding the development process, it varies across the countries, but in all cases, development must be funded from an investment standpoint in order to guarantee sustainability, and economic modelling must be adopted in order to determine the funding destination. The speakers marked their preference for funding sources to emanate from the states in ways that include expanding the basic assessment and improving the management of available resources, particularly through combating corruption, bribery, and waste, and through directing investments in order to benefit the citizens more and optimise support so that it would benefit the disadvantaged.
In addition to this discussion panel, ESCWA held two other discussion panels on the Impact of Conflict and Occupation on the Implementation of the 2030 Agenda, and Supporting Member States in the Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals: Methods and Tools.
ESCWA 29th Session, which opened on 13 December 2016 in Doha, Qatar, concluded its work on 15 December 2016 with a ministerial declaration on the Implementation of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda in Arab States.
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For more information:
Nabil Abu-Dargham +961-70-99 31 44
Ms. Mirane Abi-Zaki +961-76-04 64 02
dargham@un.org
abi-zaki@un.org
escwa-ciu@un.org
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